Toronto had hoped to begin vaccinating children ages five to 11 against COVID-19 next week, but now hopes anxious parents will have to wait a bit longer.
“We were hoping that the approvals (from Health Canada) would come in time for us to have some pretty big and widespread activities that led to childhood vaccinations even next week,” Mayor John Tory said Monday.
“Now we understand that it will come quite soon, it won’t be long afterwards. I’m hopeful that, let’s say, at the beginning of the month, in a couple of weeks, we can get going. “
Answering questions after a Distillery District event urging Toronto residents to support local merchants and artists this holiday season, the mayor later suggested that he awaits approval of the childhood vaccine in late or early November. from December.
As COVID-19 infections rise once again, driven in large part by infections among children, the city says it is ready at any time to launch a multi-track program “Team Toronto Kids”Mass immunization effort targeting parents and young children.
The subsequent approval from Health Canada comes, the less time before winter break there will be for vaccination clinics while children are in class at participating schools.
“We have created a campaign to include clinics in the school and to implement additional resources and outreach in 30 priority neighborhoods,” Coun. Joe Cressy, president of Toronto Public Health, said in an interview.
“Those school clinics can take place inside and outside of school hours. Obviously when children are in school they are easier to reach. We will have vaccination clinics during the December break, whether the children are in school or not, ”he said.
“By the time vaccines are approved, children ages five to 11 will be able to book (appointments) with various clinical options, including those at school, but also those in the city, hospitals and pharmacies.”
Health Canada said Monday that it has no update on a statement from last Friday that it expects to complete a review of Pfizer’s jab for children “in the next one to two weeks.”
The Ontario government said that as soon as approval comes, it will work to bring the vaccine to local health officials and children.
“Our government continues to work closely with public health units, which are responsible for managing vaccine distribution and administration in their region, to ensure Ontario can take advantage of all appropriate vaccine distribution channels to administer vaccines to children. including school clinics, ”said Alexandra Hilkene, spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott.
Reference-www.thestar.com